LYNN — Approximately 100 Lynn English High School students heard from speakers on Tuesday as part of a panel discussion designed to engage students and motivate them to be proactive in trying to prevent violence in the community.
The “Law Day” panel, inspired by the launch of the mayor’s Youth Safety and Opportunity Collaborative (Y-SOC) and the call to action to address youth violence, was a partnership between the mayor’s office, Lynn English teacher Frank Grealish, and students Tommy Tran and Alex Gomez. The event had an anti-violence, criminal justice, and civic engagement theme.
Speakers on Tuesday included Assistant City Solicitor Peter Christopher, Police Lt. Mark Nerich, Lynn Youth Street Outreach and Advocacy (LYSOA) Co-Director Antonio Gutierrez, and Juvenile Probation Officer April Anderson.
The speakers took questions from students ranging from how to be engaged in their community, how to get into the careers they are currently in, and how to address crimes and other issues in the city impacting young people.
“The mayor is encouraging us to do things to engage students,” said Grealish, who teaches Street Law at English. “I spoke with Faustina (Cuevas) and said if we could take this message directly to students, that would be great, and she put the panel together.”
“It’s clear that our students want to be civically engaged and are thinking of ways to address issues directly impacting them and their peers,” said Cuevas, Chief of Community Wellbeing and DEI. “The library at LEHS was packed, and the student questions were thoughtful, which speaks volumes. As an LPS alum and fellow Bulldog, I felt really proud of the students.”
The City continues to be committed to addressing these issues through expanding opportunities for students and young people. Earlier this year, the city invested funds to launch a Middle School Hub at Breed Middle School in partnership with Lynn Public Schools, Lynn Police, and Lynn Parks and Recreation. The city was also able to add an additional 100 jobs to the summer youth program, and those applications will go live on May 1.
“This event underscores the power of the youth voice and its ability to drive meaningful change within our community,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “I am grateful to students Tommy Tran and Alex Gomez, as well as Mr. Frank Grealish, for leading a discussion that directly supports Lynn’s ongoing efforts to address youth violence.”
